The European promoters of the U2 PopMart tour were considering staging the group's two Irish concerts in Belfast had yesterday's Supreme Court judgment gone against them. Confirming this, Mr John Geddings, of the Solo promotions company in London, said he was determined "to move heaven and high water" to ensure the concerts went ahead in Ireland, even if it meant staging them in the Irish Sea.
"We had sold 80,000 tickets. What else could we do?" he asked.
He felt that for U2 to tour the world and not be allowed to perform in its home town would have been "a travesty of justice".
Speaking after yesterday's judgment, he said Ireland was now seen as a "notoriously difficult" destination where international acts were concerned. It was seen abroad as "an incredible country which couldn't specify proper regulations" for open-air concerts.
He said the recent events were "extraordinary to see from another country".
Mr Geddings said he had responsibility for organising U2 performances in 30 European cities this year. What difficulties there may have been elsewhere "were nowhere near this problem in Dublin".
He said that after opting to stage the concerts at Lansdowne Road in June he had been assured by "everybody concerned" that planning permission would not be a difficulty and that the concerts would take place.
He had checked out the possibility of problems but decided to go ahead on the basis of those reassurances. Since then they had been to court twice seeking clarification and were given it.
He agreed it was his side which decided to cancel the proposed concert in the Phoenix Park. "It was becoming a never-ending pit," he said. It was proving impractical, costs-wise and production-wise.
"It was becoming ludicrous," he said, which is why they pulled out of the venture on June 5th.
Over the past week he had gained a few grey hairs. He said before considering Ireland as a destination again, "regulations in your country need to be properly sorted out".
